A windfall of nearly a million pounds will be spent on keeping kids out of trouble in North East Lincolnshire and stop them being used for crime.

A month after Grimsby Live highlighted children as young as nine were being used by Fagin-style handlers for drug running, the Home Office has announced more than £975,000 has been awarded to fund a new specialist project.

It aims to support children and young people at risk of exploitation or abuse.

The central Government grant was announced today by Louth MP Victoria Atkins, who is the minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability.

Money from the Government’s Trusted Relationship Fund will run a new project in the area over the next four years.

Police have warned that Fagin-type characters are recruiting children as young as nine as drug runners. Right, Ron Moody as Fagin in Oliver!

The project will tackle child criminal exploitation, including substance and drug misuse, and will target support with those most at risk, including siblings of gang affiliated young people.

Therapy will be delivered by specially-trained practitioners as part of the scheme, alongside encouraging young people to get involved with sports, arts and other cultural activities.

The Louth MP said work is already being done in the area to increase prevention and earlier intervention activity with families, helping them to become more resilient and deal with a range of problems all at once.

“Through the Trusted Relationships programme I am announcing in North East Lincolnshire, the Government wants to let isolated children know that they are not alone,” said Victoria Atkins.

She added: “Early intervention is so important to give vulnerable young people the best chance in life. This Government is determined to invest in innovative projects that protect young people and steer them away from destructive abuse or a pathway to crime.“

Victoria Atkins, Conservative MP for Louth and Horncastle who is minister for crime, safeguarding and vulnerability

Councillor Kath Wheatley, portfolio holder for children and young people at North East Lincolnshire Council said: “Supporting our vulnerable young people to help them deal with things they face in their every-day life is key to helping them to build trusted relationships with adults.

“The ultimate aim of the programme is to reduce incidents of children and young people going missing, being exploited and abused or entering the justice system.

“I’m looking forward to building on the excellent partnership work we already do with key local partners, including Humberside Police and our wider communities to tackle some of these issues.”

Chief Inspector Jenny Bristow from Humberside Police said: “It has been great to work in partnership with North East Lincolnshire Council and our other partners in securing this funding, and we are extremely glad that we have been able to do it together.

“It has been evident that we all want to achieve the same results to make our communities safer and stronger.

“This has been a good example of joint partnership working in getting this money. One of our main priorities is to protect vulnerable people and with it we can all really make a difference.”

Detective Inspector Phil Booker and Detective Superintendent Jo Roe of Humberside Police. The two officers are heading up the new child exploitation organised crime group in North and North East Lincolnshire (Image: David Haber)

The Trusted Relationship Fund was launched earlier this year following a review carried out by the Early Intervention Foundation. The review, commissioned by the Home Office, found that a trusted relationship with an adult is an important part of programmes that support vulnerable children, and that the lack of trusted relationships is consistently cited as a contributing factor in cases of child sexual abuse and exploitation.

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Children and crime

It found that this kind of social support can help children avoid risky situations, as well as help them overcome adverse circumstances in their lives, and that a trusted relationship can make young people significantly more likely to disclose when abuse is happening to them.

The Early Intervention Foundation also emphasised the importance of testing the effectiveness of interventions with young people, which will form a key part of this Fund.